I was having a little exchange in email with someone and was describing how the direction of my own prepping (and I really hate that word..it sounds so cutesy and trendy) has changed as of late and why. Maybe it’s worth a post or two.
I’m fairly satisfied with where I’m sitting in terms of food, fuel, materiel, etc, etc. It’s not necessarily gilding the lily to continue on the current path, but this current economic clime is one that makes me think now is the optimal time to shift directions for me.
As I mentioned earlier, we’re in a somewhat better-than-usual economic period. Jobs and markets are at record numbers. I’m not going to say that money is out there falling from the sky, but for someone with a brain, work ethic, and ambition, now might be a good time to work on getting the financial side of preparedness buffed up…take the extra job, invest the extra cash, sell the unused items, etc.
What does the financial side of preparedness look like? For the ‘casuals’ that may look like the classic six-month-emergency fund in the bank, pay off the credit cards, and beef up the Roth. For us lifestylers it may look like that plus cash in the safe, cash equivalents like gold and silver, trade goods, and other assets (like land).
I’m pretty sure I will be just fine if I don’t buy another gun, freezedried, or backpack for the next five years. And, as I’ve said over and over, the times in my life where I urgently needed money far outnumber the times in my life where I urgently needed a Barrett 82A1. Doesn’t mean that moment won’t happen, just saying that so far I’ve need $50 bills more than I’ve need .50 API.
Trying to avoid this
So, for the last few months I’ve cut back on my spending on things like storage food, ammo, guns (sorta), and the like, and have instead been moving more resources into savings, investments, cash, hard currency, and that sort of thing.
The economy is doing well at the moment but nothing lasts forever. If this good economy affords me the opportunity to get my ducks in a row for when it inevitably starts to decline…well, wouldn’t that be the smart thing to do?
So..for now, my focus is mostly on getting the money stuff squared away. If the zombies/war/Depression/invasion/flu/volcano/collapse occurs tomorrow I think I’ll be just fine with what I have on hand…but I don’t share that same level of confidence if some of the more mundane life disasters (transmission, broken leg, water heater, job loss, unexpected critical expense, etc.) occur. This change in direction will hopefully change that.
As I read that last paragraph it seem that could be interpreted as the direction of the blog changing, rather than personal direction. Nope…the blog will continue to strive to mediocrity with no change in its usual aimless topical wanderings. But personally, yeah, I think I’m going to be working on the really, really unsexy parts of preparedness. But…it’s gotta be done.
Piggy Goals.
You can prep all you want for the end of the world stuff. It is fun ( it used to be a lot more fun before The End got so much closer ). Saving the money you would have spent going to see a zombie flick at the movies is far less fun than range time disguised as training. But economic collapse is guaranteed to happen, because it already is happening. Well, severe DECLINE, but it is moving in the direction of collapse. You can’t pay your property tax with steel cased 7.62×39. No matter how many regular groceries you have stocked, it will still be a matter of health being able to buy fresh produce in the winter, during long term unemployment. You know, when you are stressed to the point of ill health. You will always need some cash. It is just being well rounded. Just look at how much worse the banks are leveraged in their derivatives bets compared to 2007. The economy will be taking another squishy dump. That isn’t even a bet but a guarantee. The only bet is on timing, so don’t lose the bet by waiting too long.
And with Kavanaugh now on the court, I feel significantly less pressure the expand the “collection”. Blue wave or no blue wave, 2A is safe for the next 4-5 years.
I plan to renew focus on eliminating debt & building the PM stockpile.
We agree that it is important to have a cash reserve. However I would very strongly suggest that you do not keep this reserve in a bank or a safety deposit box. The reason for a cash reserve is to have it immediately available (for spur of the moment gun buys). If it is a holiday, weekend, or BANK HOLIDAY you are not going to be able to access your cash. And a Bank Holiday can be called, by the government, at any time for any or no reason.
Most safety deposits will no longer allow you to store cash and a trend is developing where they drill the lock and send the contents to you without warning.
Why spend money (safety deposit box) to save (store) money?
Sounds self defeating to me.
1- Americans are weird about money stuff. Survivalists aren’t different.
2- I think it is important to recognize that for businesses/ bloggers preparedness is an industry. For individuals it is a hobby. I’m not saying it isn’t important but the business and hobby angles are important. As a business companies and (the more monetized) bloggers want to sell you stuff. So the thing they want to sell you is an important survival item, nay it is vital! For individuals it is a hobby. They want to do fun things and buy cool stuff. A lot of guys are basically gun nuts thinly veiled as survivalists.
3- From both the business and hobby angles saving money is a bust (just like PT) so folks avoid it.
Break.
I appreciate your thinking and agree that planning and ‘obtaining’ should shift with the situation (what ever that situation is in your own special & unique case). I had a small windfall and had a bit of cash burning a hole in my pocket and off I went to the local ‘gun show’ with offerings of all sorts of things I could really use and “needed” but I managed to get out the door with only two small jerky sticks – all of eight bucks spent between my snack and the entry cost with a bit of gas to get there. The money went into some envelopes that are now safely tucked away in a safe here, a safe there and by some old socks.
I have signed up for some classes this month and will get a chance to practice some communication skills in November helping with a local event and to also teach some 1st responder first aid/CPR classes with a friend as well. I figure that moves me down the preparation road a lot further &/or better than having spent the money and not done the upcoming involvement. Thanks for your insight!
4- In planning for real world worst case scenarios money is what solves problems. A pile of cash opens doors everywhere. Only in people’s magical fantasy scenarios does cash not matter.
5- As you have said (more or less) one grows up in preparedness when they think about food as much as guns. I think they really grow up when they think about cash as much as all that other stuff.
6- If you look at the kits of people who have been in really bad spots, typically former SOF guys, cash is a big part. Most people don’t need a survival fishing kit, they need cash.
7- If we are real about any sort of realistic bug out scenario it’s going to be a lot more like sitting in a cheap motel ordering pizza than The Road.
8- Balance is key. If you have a lot of food and guns but no money work on the money.
“Unsexy” part??
A stack apiece of $100 bills, Gold eagles in fractional ounce denominations, and a sack of “junk” 90% silver is sexier than the offer of a threesome with twin blonde coeds.
Anybody says different, I don’t know what planet they’re from.
And as TOR mentioned not too long ago, the solution to any number of potential personal problems is a passport, a fat wad of cash, and a credit card with a hefty available balance., or words to that effect.
In case folks haven’t been paying attention, it’s
“Beans, bullets, ban-aids, bullion…”, and for good reason.